Ticket dispensers are used on most redemption games in arcades today. A new popular redemption game could dispense up to 100,000 tickets a week, therefore requiring a number of ticket reloads on a daily basis. Tickets or coupons for redemption games are commonly provided in stacks, and in more limited circumstances, rolls. In circumstances where the tickets are distributed from games, usually sets of five tickets are stacked together which are repeatedly folded back upon themselves. Between each ticket, a perforation is provided that facilitates the separation of the tickets. In some circumstances the tickets may also be provided with a unique serial number or code. More recently, tickets have been also provided with a bar code that can be read by an optical scanner. The bar code may contain information that is unique to a particular location so that, when the tickets are redeemed, the operator can confirm that the tickets originated from the same location or contains information that may ensure the ticket is genuine.
Because players are frequently awarded tickets, ticket dispensers are subject to significant wear over time. After the tickets are distributed from a distribution device, the player will tear the tickets from the dispenser along the perforation line. This tearing action creates paper dust and debris that can clog the ticket slot and other machinery used to distribute the tickets. In addition, players will often attempt to pull the tickets from the slot in anticipation of the legitimate distribution or in a misguided attempt to improperly acquire more tickets than the player has actually earned by playing the game. This problem, referred to as reeling, is problematic and some conventional ticket dispensers may not have mechanisms to prevent this practice. While in some circumstances pulling on the tickets may result in tearing the tickets along a perforation, in other situations the tickets may tear at other locations. Tearing tickets in the dispensing chute or at locations other than the ticket exit slot may cause the tickets to jam. A further problem that occurs with popular games is they will run out of tickets during heavy use. Yet a further problem with the distribution of tickets is that a ticket or coupon itself may have a bend or deformation or other foreign matter is introduced to the system that causes a jam in the chute.
Accordingly, primary problems with existing and conventional ticket dispensers are (1) players improperly pulling tickets while the ticket dispenser is dispensing tickets, (2) running out of tickets during primetime game play, (3) ticket jams caused by game players trying to cheat the game, (4) ticket jams due to the ticket splice or defects in the tickets or foreign matter such as ripped tickets, and (5) the exit slot may become jammed causing a jam. For example, in connection with the exit slot jam problem, a jam may cause the spokes of a drive wheel may break through and damage the tickets making them unable to be driven by the toothed ticket drive gears.
If the ticket chute jams, the motor driving the tickets may stall causing the motor or the driver chip to burn out or become damaged. If the motor itself is damaged the repair of the device becomes costly. These circumstances and other mechanical problems will sometimes result in the malfunction of the ticket distributor. When the ticket dispenser is not working, the game will remain idle, revenue is lost and customers will complain. Typically when the machines are experiencing heavy use, in view of multiple demands on the game operators, the rapid service of the game to place it back in service is not achieved.